The Last Wishes of Morgana Pendragon
by TheAlienDoctor
Summary: At the time of Arthur's death at the lake of Avalon, Morgana casts a life-changing spell with her final, dying breath. This spell is designed to change the destiny of Arthur and Merlin alike, trapping everyone in Albion in a twisted, alternate world whilst Arthur is thrown into the future, being the only one who could possibly break the spell.
1. Chapter 1

Broken from despair, Merlin lifted his weary body from the bank of the lake of Avalon and stumbled away from the lake, away from Arthur, forcing himself onwards without a look back. This couldn't be happening. There was nothing left in Merlin, nothing for him to strive for, no-one to protect. Nothing...

A shimmer of gold, Kilgarrah's voice in his ear: **"Two sides of the same coin"** and in an instant he was gone, back at the castle with his head in his pillow and a beating in his heart. Hang on a minute...thought Merlin. I'm back... How am I back? The battle, the knights..._Morgana_. And Arthur, **Oh _Arthur_**, that stupid, beautiful man. The golden hair, the muscular body, the clenched jaw, **all gone now, all _gone_**... stop Merlin, STOP. By some miracle he'd returned, so perhaps it'd never happened after all?

He raised his hands to rub his eyes, to break out of the haze. He felt a sticky coating over his hands. Blood, Arthur's blood. The precious blood spilt, lost, his own hands filthy, _guilty_,** GUILTY, THE RAGE HE FELT THE RAGE THE ANGER**, disappointment. Laughter, tears, his arrogant self **THE GUILT**, he's beautiful, all Merlin had ever wanted, needed, the love, ever hidden, ever hiding, hiding himself from the world. Arthur, he wanted Arthur back in his arms, to hold, to treasure, but he'd gone, died in his arms, he's **_dead_, HE'S DEAD, the guilt, the pain, the tears**. Harsh reality. It'd happened alright.

Moaning in despair he turned over and found Gwen by his side. Gwen? _Gwen_! Thank god she's okay, thought Merlin, thank god she survived! And then confusion: I'm in bed with Gwen. And then Merlin looked around him and his hand went to his chest and there was shock and there was horror as he found himself in Arthur's chamber, oh Arthur, in Arthur's bed, wearing Arthur's nightclothes and...

His breath caught in his throat. I can't be. No, I _can't_. Merlin raised a shaking hand to his head and stroked his hair lightly. Not his hair. His hand lowered to his face, caressing his cheek lightly. Oh god, he'd felt that shiver before. He'd touched this skin, this cheek that wasn't his, the love, the pain, Arthur. _Doddimi_ he whispered, drawing a polished shield towards him. Merlin raised it to his face, in awe. Arthur. He was Arthur, in body anyway. Was he? He raised the shield to his face again and slowly ran his fingers across Arthur's prominent jaw, up to his significantly smaller ears than Merlin was used to. His hand lingered, feeling the touch, Arthur's touch on Arthur's face, on his face, Arthur's touch. He smiled, slightly bitterly, then made to get up.

Suddenly Gwen stirred and he jumped, the shield falling to the floor with a clatter."Don't go, stay a bit longer," she murmured, pulling him lightly back down onto the bed, "I know its going to be hard without Merlin, just try to take each day as it comes..." Merlin sat up with a jolt."Why, what's wrong with him!?" Gwen sat up slowly, a look of concern on her innocent face."Do you not remember?" Her hand rested softly on his arm.

"Arthur, Merlin's dead."


	2. Chapter 2

_Morgana lay dying in the forest, in her last moments weak and helpless. Alone. All she had done, all she had achieved. Arthur's death was imminent, but not without cost. She laughed harshly and bitterly as death and pain enfolded her._

_A thought. A fleeting thought in the moment and it was out of her mouth: __**"Asprytan seo dunfyl micel cyrenic"**__. The deed was done. This was always the plan before Morgause left her. Their plan...together. And now this was her final wish before her death, the way to unwravel Camelot once and for all. But Morgana could not live to see this day. Power did not come without pain._

_She remembered the days she'd lived with Arthur as siblings, as friends, all gone now. She remembered Gwen, and her pathetically, no, beautifully sweet nature. She remembered Merlin, her first love, and now her undoing. Well now she could be the undoing of him. He'd never live to fulfill his destiny. Morgana smiled sickly, an emotionless tear falling down her cheek. She finally closed her eyes as the dull thudding in her chest slowed to a stop._

Water, water all around him, gushing through his ears through his nose in his mouth, blurring his senses, reaching his brain, he couldn't breathe **hecouldntbreathedeathwillidi e****_death_****pain DEATH** greeted him and light, senselessness taking over, he went towards the light, the soft warm glow, he floated up towards his mother's call, his mother's voice, the dying the dying light, the light and the joy, then he fell, back through the clouds, back to earth. Back into reality, when he was almost safe, almost back with his mother and his father and...

Golden light washed over Arthur. Was he returning? Was he safe, alive and healthy, Morgana dead, Camelot saved, evil conquered? He was in a forest, surrounded by trees and nature and...not Merlin.

Where was Merlin? The boy... A handkerchief. A red neck scarf lying on the mossy damp forest floor. Merlin. Sudden terror- had something happened to him!? Merlin, his Merlin!? No, he must be back in Camelot. Safe. Was Arthur safe? He sighed- being on the brink of death had changed him.

He lifted his legs slowly, feeling unfamiliar pain. Lowering his eyes to his leg it was not the injuries that he took note of, it was the clothes. Scruffy, dirty servants clothes in bright blues and dark browns. Just like... Arthur sat up.

He reached over to pick up the red neckerchief. I'm wearing Merlin's clothes, he thought. I'm in the middle of the forest, dressed as a _servant_, as Merlin, with no horse, no supplies and...he shivered. Arthur lifted his hand...not his hand... slowly to his...not his...face. Ears, Merlin's wonderful sticky-out ears, the tips of which turned red when he blushed. Hair, Merlin's raven black hair.

Merlin, he was MERLIN oh god, a dream, A DREAM it had to be, but it was real** sorealsorealbutsofalse, merlinhewasmerlinthebeauty,** Merlin who'd never known Arthur's true feelings and Merlin, who now never would. He closed his eyes and howled, a beastly howl of rage and loss and despair and confusion and Merlin, oh Merlin, his Merlin with magic with MAGIC ... a roar.

Arthur leapt to his (Merlin's) feet, looking around for his sword and cursing when it wasn't found. The roar continued, steady and loud, so loud, like no beast he'd come across before. He approached the noise slowly and **whoooooosh!** It was past him it was gone, the metal beast with armoured skin, with a man inside, a man who'd need saving no doubt.

He ran after it but alas, Merlin's body wasn't up to running far, and the metal monster was spurting fumes which choked Arthur, causing his lungs to seize. He stopped, looking around him. He was out of the forest now, out in the middle of a field on a dirt road.

He sat, and he waited, not knowing what else to do. Eventually Arthur coined that the monster was not returning and decided to continue his trek. _(Was this what Merlin would do? Was it?)_. He set off along the dirt road, feeling no hunger, no thirst and not tiring a single bit until he reached what had been a mere spot in the distance.

Staring up around him he felt people all around him, heard obnoxious noises, saw things he'd never seen before. His mind reeling with _whats_ and _whos _and _whys_, he turned to retreat to the forest, to find Camelot, only to be met by a writhing mass of people, a throng of people pushing and shoving and shouting. Arthur raised his eyes to the sky, praying to Merlin, though the crowds stared and pointed, he prayed- 'Merlin, if you can hear me, oh god Merlin you clotpole, hear me now, HEAR ME when I need you MY BOY YOU IDIOT..."...Softer..."I need you Merlin, Albion needs you..." and rage: "YOU IDIOT WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE YOU HEAR ME YOU DOLLOPHEAD YOU...JUST HEAR ME NOW, JUST WHATEVER YOU DO..." A final sigh..."Don't leave me Merlin. Talk to me and... never shut up again." Arthur sank down low into the crowd, holding his head and crying out.

Then he heard it.

"I'm here, Arthur." and the crowd was gone, he himself laid gently between fresh, clean sheets, in a room bathed in a soft white glow. Another voice as he fell into the land of dreams, a wise, old voice, of a wise, old man- "You'll be okay here Arthur. Just sleep, you clever boy...and remember..." And he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

'Arthur' lay in his quarters with Gwen by his side, soft brown curls tickling his bare forearm as she rested her head lightly on his arm. A few minutes ago, Merlin had passed out, too shocked for his mind to register what Gwen had just said.

As he slowly came round he heard voices all around him, sounds of death and dying, the people he'd not been able to save. Arthur. He heard Gwen- sweet, kind Gwen- full of love and laughter, then full of betrayal and sad despair, of pain, Arthur's pain. He shivered inwardly, sensing an unusual force of power somewhere nearby... He jolted awake and remembered, Arthur's body aching from Merlin's pain."Would you like me to fetch Gaius, my lord?" she asked tenderly, slowly lifting her head from the bed. He slowly climbed out of bed- "No I'm sure I-"

A gust of wind blew into the chambers as the window broke and glass shattered, bringing in with it a harsh atmosphere. Merlin leapt in front of Gwen and struggled to protect her but she cried out, pursued by demons of her own. All around Merlin he felt forces of evil, echoes of those who had once lived, cries and screams and- **_"Hweorfan_**" -They were gone."Gwen?" he beckoned and felt a shivering bundle beneath the bedclothes."Gwen, are you alright?" She emerged, her eyes wide and frightened. Pointing shakily at Merlin."You...you!" And she lashed out, wild and angry at her supposed aggressor.

After half an hour and various objects smashed, Gwen was calm enough, crouched over in the corner of the room, rocking back and forth. Something had found its way into the heart of Camelot, something more sinister than Merlin had first imagined. Moving slowly and cautiously, he made his way across the room and slipped out of the door, without another word to Gwen. He had to find the others, he had to find _Arthur_ before it was too late. He bolted down the corridor, naturally manoeuvering his way around the castle despite the warped look everything had when dark, dusty and destroyed. Eventually he arrived at his destination the weathered and worn court hall in the centre of the castle.

As he expected, when he arrived Merlin found the knights sitting dumbly around the round table. As he stared, and they stared through blank, terrified eyes, he noted the ivy that had grown all over the knights and stumbled, tripping over pieces of rubble on the ground. Every head shot round to face Merlin, in a haunting synchronised manner. He held his hands up."Listen, guys, I'm not-" and they attacked, fighting with fists and sticks and truncheons and_ swords_ in mid-air. Merlin watched with pity as be saw the once brave, loyal knights of Camelot now reduced to insane madmen who shook the halls with their howls and screams. This was a madhouse, hell even.

So he was dead, and Camelot twisted...his choice was to live as Arthur in this hellhouse or...**or what**? Was there a way to preserve his original body? Cutting through the silence, Gwaine let out a long, low sob. It pained Merlin to see him this way, his joyous, jovial self snatched away from him. Only Gaius found solace in tenderly stroking a beam in the corner of the room. There was another shout from somewhere else in the room, full of horror. Merlin laughed a heartless, bitter laugh. He was stuck in this cruel world whilst out there, somewhere, Arthur, Merlin, was dying.

Merlin stared and stared, tears almost spilling down his cheeks and into the unfamiliar fabric of the tunic covering Arthur's chest. This was insane. He'd watched Arthur die, his heart screaming, his soul breaking away, slowly, softly, but with a rage willing to compete with that of Arthur in his living days._"Shut up, Merlin._" A voice echoing in his mind. Arthur, his brilliant Arthur. Arthur who would never know his true feelings... No, he couldn't live like this... yet Merlin had a strange inkling that this was so very real. And he knew that there was only one who could save him.


	4. Chapter 4

An hour had passed since he'd awoken and already Arthur had seen enough. Too many monsters, too much_ noise_, through the strange, square window.

But with whispers in the air that scared Arthur half to death_ left by the old man no doubt, and_ _come to think of it he'd been familiar_... he had begun to understand some simple tools to use within the safety of his small apartment. He'd already had a good go at using the telephone, but had not yet ventured near the door, and in return no-one bothered him.

No longer bothered at the stupidity of the situation, Arthur tumbled clumsily into the bathroom and stripped off Merlin's clothes, making sure not to look down. After a few tries he managed to work the shower (it must be magic, sorcery) and quickly warm water washed over him.

With the dirt, he was washing away the scenes that he'd never witnessed, the years that he'd missed, all down the plughole and out of his mind. Spouting water from his mouth he threw his head back out of the water, relishing the soothing, warm liquid pouring over him.

He collected his thoughts. What had happened to Camelot!? What were these tall, glass buildings, who were these strangely dressed people, what sorcery were these 'gadgets' and 'gizmos' he'd seen plastered to people's ears, hands, and roaming the streets of the long-forgotten Albion? He'd been thrown into an oblivion, feeling the strangest feelings whilst it was so real, so true, but so _wrong_...No. No, stop Arthur.

Stepping out and back into the cool air he came to notice his lack of clean clothing. Surveying the room he spotted a small closet at the far wall in his bedroom and jauntily stepped over to it. He pulled open the doors and assessed the contents.

A pile at the bottom of the dresser. Tight, sharp black trousers in a coarse material Arthur hadn't come across before. Trousers- a good start. He pulled them on. Perfect fit, if a bit tight around Merlin's crotch. He blushed. Then brightly coloured shirts, red and blue./Perfect for Merlin/ he realised with a sad smile, and selected a pale blue one. Next he found pairs of tiny black underclothes, not unsimilar to tight, short breeches. Arthur left these off, unsure if they were entirely necessary. Then a black jacket of sorts, stiff and ill-fitting, the same material as the trousers (it'd have to do), and finally, a note at the bottom of the pile- "Guessed who I am yet?" and a thin red scarf folded neatly on top of a pair of smart black shoes.

Smiling, a little puzzledly, Arthur put on the scarf and shoes, and then, turning back to face the rest of the room he came face to face with a beautiful woman, all sharp features and bright eyes, with dark hair falling down her back. "Arthur..._Pendragon_. My my, how I've been waiting for this moment." she smiled sickeningly."How did you...!?" Arthur made for the door but the woman grabbed him in a soft but firm grip.

"Now now," she drawled, taking time to enjoy Arthur's displeasure, "Don't you want to know who I am?" Arthur kept his eyes on the worn carpet in defiance."Very well, I'll start at the beginning. My name is Idris, and I am a sorceress."


End file.
